John Olerud

BATTING LINE OF THE DAY John Olerud, Red Sox 1B AB R H RBI HR 4 2 3 6 2 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Jon Lieber, Phillies IP H R BB SO 7 4 1 0 6

BOSTON -- In the end, in the minutes after the Boston Red Sox talked solemnly about losing the chance to repeat as World Series champions, there was a mixture of depression, sadness and relief filling their clubhouse. There was no disbelief, which is revealing. The Red Sox sensed this was coming. As much as they skirmished to keep their fragile season alive, and as much as they spoke about trying to make 2005 feel like 2004, they knew that this season was probably not going to finish the way last season did. The Red Sox did not have the pitching strength or the offensive tenacity that guided them like a beacon last October.

Giants: San Francisco is 42-27 against the Mets since Dusty Baker became manager in 1993. San Francisco has hit 30 homers in August. Mets: John Olerud, who began the day leading the majors in hitting, went 1-for-3 to keep his batting average at .343. Pub Date: 8/28/98

BATTING LINE OF THE DAY John Olerud, Red Sox 1B AB R H RBI HR 4 2 3 6 2 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Jon Lieber, Phillies IP H R BB SO 7 4 1 0 6

Quote: "I'm not disappointed, because I'd been thinking of hanging it up, anyway. I'd rather go out on a more positive note than getting released." - Ken Hill, released by the Angels after going 5-7 with a 6.52 ERA in 16 games in the final season of a three-year, $16.05 million contract It's a fact: Former Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett will work the first three games of the series with the Devil Rays as a radio broadcaster. Who's hot: The Mariners' Nos. 3-4-5 hitters - Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and John Olerud - went 22-for-48 (.458)

Rafael Palmeiro,OriolesWho among AL first basemen enjoy talking to base runners, and what do they talk about?Cecil Fielder, Tigers: "He likes to talk, about everything and anything."Don Mattingly, Yankees: "He talks, but he's more focused. We talk baseball, mainly. Hitting."Mark McGwire, Athletics: "He doesn't say much. He talks, but not as much as some of the others. He's cordial."Mo Vaughn, Red Sox: He likes to talk about hitting, and about bats. He's always asking me about my bats."John Olerud, Blue Jays: "He's quiet.

Winners and Losers looks at the other half of the delightful dozen young players tabbed by Sports Illustrated as the future of baseball. In case you're wondering, seven of the 12 are American Leaguers and one (Gary Sheffield) got started in Milwaukee, so the Junior Circuit should remain the best league for the foreseeable future.Royce Clayton .. .. .. Loser .. .. With on base percentage below... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 300 and big strikeout total,.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... Giants shortstop goes to rear.

The box score will tell you that the Orioles got beat last night on a broken-bat hit by John Olerud and a ground-ball single by Tony Fernandez. But in reality, it was Roberto Alomar who stole the game.His leadoff single put the Blue Jays in business in the ninth inning, and the talented second baseman kept them in motion long enough to produce a 2-1 victory. The game's turning point came on a wild pitch that never left the area of home plate."I thought that was the key to the inning," said Paul Molitor, who at the time was in the midst of a tantalizing eight-pitch duel with Ben McDonald.

NEW YORK -- In getting Rickey Henderson, Toronto picked up one of the most dangerous players in baseball. But that doesn't scare the New York Yankees, who believe one man is not going to win the AL East."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ben McDonald said yesterday that he was happy with the way his strained right groin responded to Tuesday night's start, but he didn't say the injury has vanished entirely."

NEW YORK - Why do it? That's the question Bostonians will be asking Red Sox manager Terry Francona today, once the hangover from all the celebrating subsides. The Red Sox had an 8-1 lead at the seventh inning stretch last night, leaving them nine outs from the World Series, when out from the bullpen strolled Pedro Martinez. To that point, Derek Lowe had allowed just one hit over six innings. But in came Martinez, who was working on one day of rest after pitching six innings in Game 5. Half-asleep, the Yankee Stadium crowd quickly awakened with its "Who's your daddy?"

NEW YORK - John Olerud underwent a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his left foot yesterday, and New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said the first baseman injured in Game 3 wouldn't be available for the rest of the American League Championship Series, and that his availability for the World Series was in doubt. "We'll have to wait for the results (of the MRI)," Torre said. Torre has said he will not put Jason Giambi on the playoff roster, even with Olerud injured. Giambi went 4-for-33 after returning from a long absence with a benign tumor, and he's still not strong enough to play regularly.

SEATTLE - Orioles manager Mike Hargrove called closer Jorge Julio into his office after Saturday's game to explain why it was Buddy Groom, and not Julio, who closed out the 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Groom recorded the final five outs after entering in the eighth inning with a two-run lead. To end that inning, right fielder Jay Gibbons made the play of the game when he charged a shallow fly from Bret Boone and bounced a perfect throw to nail Jeff Cirillo at home plate. Julio had loosened up in the bullpen, but Hargrove stayed with the left-handed-throwing Groom against the left-handed-hitting John Olerud (grounder to second)

Quote: "I'm not disappointed, because I'd been thinking of hanging it up, anyway. I'd rather go out on a more positive note than getting released." - Ken Hill, released by the Angels after going 5-7 with a 6.52 ERA in 16 games in the final season of a three-year, $16.05 million contract It's a fact: Former Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett will work the first three games of the series with the Devil Rays as a radio broadcaster. Who's hot: The Mariners' Nos. 3-4-5 hitters - Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and John Olerud - went 22-for-48 (.458)

Giants: San Francisco is 42-27 against the Mets since Dusty Baker became manager in 1993. San Francisco has hit 30 homers in August. Mets: John Olerud, who began the day leading the majors in hitting, went 1-for-3 to keep his batting average at .343. Pub Date: 8/28/98

Rafael Palmeiro,OriolesWho among AL first basemen enjoy talking to base runners, and what do they talk about?Cecil Fielder, Tigers: "He likes to talk, about everything and anything."Don Mattingly, Yankees: "He talks, but he's more focused. We talk baseball, mainly. Hitting."Mark McGwire, Athletics: "He doesn't say much. He talks, but not as much as some of the others. He's cordial."Mo Vaughn, Red Sox: He likes to talk about hitting, and about bats. He's always asking me about my bats."John Olerud, Blue Jays: "He's quiet.